Man made or natural trails

dave_hill

stumpyjon wrote:

I'm surprised at that John, which bits did you get to have a go at? Might be worth having another punt when it's settled a bit, there's still some loose gravel in places.

That said I got out for a local ride a few weeks back and put in a descent I hadn't done before, really enjoyed it and kept asking myself why I haven't been out locally more. Never enough time it seems :roll:

I rode from the quarry to the first descent off Whelp Stone (round the switchbacky bit from the top). I gave up at that point, I just couldn't be bothered with it.

It just seemed a bit stop/start to me and there were some weird bits that I couldn't get my head round - like small doubles and almost "speed bump" type lumps on uphill sections??? WTF???

That and catching my pedals on rocks and tree stumps and that bastard of a switchback climb up to Whelp Stone. I did like the rough-sawn timberwork though.

Maybe I was suffering from trail centre overload having done four in three days (Gisburn would have been the fifth) but I couldn't see what all the fuss has been about if I'm honest.

Mind you everbody raves about Whinlatter and I thought it was crap. Maybe it's just me...

stumpyjon

Yep just you

no seriously though

there were some weird bits that I couldn't get my head round - like small doubles and almost "speed bump" type lumps on uphill sections??? WTF???

I'm with you on that, fine on a downhill section where you have some speed to carry you over them, but a 5 mph uphill? I noticed a couple of odd humps near the end of one of the blue sections as well. Still it is a work in progress, they've had expert guidance (Rowen Sorrel) but it's the first trail either the contractors or guys running it have done. Shame you didn't pootle up the fireroad for a couple hundred yards, that's the bit everyone is raving about, it certainly does flow.

I actually enjoy the climb up to whelpstone crag, quite like a techy challenge, and I was leaving my mate from work in my wake up there on Wednesday and he's usually fitter and faster than me so that felt good. Having said that I do seem to get perverse pleasure out (cycling) pain, evidenced by the roadbike I've just bought to commute on :roll: .

robertpb

Erica Roe every time as opposed to Jordan

stumpyjon

I think you may have missed the word trails on the end of the thread title, but hey I'm voting with you on that.

dave_hill

stumpyjon wrote:

evidenced by the roadbike I've just bought to commute on :roll: .

Whilst wearing a gimp mask and nipple clamps no doubt...

lesz42

both

stumpyjon

What, gimp mask and nipple clamps :shock:

lesz42

that and saddle less

stumpyjon

:oops:

keeko

Really i have a cheek asking people to choose. Some unlucky dudes don`t get a choice.

Sometimes even riding for the sake of it on the road is ok.

Daz555

projectsome wrote:

I've not ridden a trail centre for so natural for me.

I also suspect with trail centres it's generally a loop as oposed to a large area in several forests etc.

Loops are common even on natural trails - afterall you typically need to return to where you started. Anyway, some of the trail centre loops are pretty sizable - Skyline in Afan Forest is about 45km.

myopic

I like both - I like the freedom of the natural trails and the more immediate access I'm lucky to have, but the condensed features of trail centres and the maintenance efforts that keeps them ridable at times when some natural trails would suffer are pluses for the centres. If I could only ride one type in future it would have to be natural.